Busy with his task, Cael first realizes something's up when a hush falls over the room. He looks up and stares with a mixture of shock and appreciation at the dryad.

Kvelti shouting at him quickly breaks the spell. Cael jumps up and grabs his travel cloak (he had hung it over his chair) to wrap the nut-brown lady in. "My lady," he murmers to the dryad, "it is customary around here to cover ourselves. Not everyone should see us as Eho sees us." He offers the cloak to her, and keeps an eye on the guards, in case they start trouble.

In the confusion resulting from the naked girl's appearance, Kvelti didn't notice Gremlock and Gwenh slipping out the door until it was swinging shut behind them. Damn it, she hadn't gotten her 10%!

But there were other, rather more pressing issues to deal with. She stepped out from around the bar, her raspy bray cutting a path for her through the gawking patrons. "Make way! Make way! Git out of my way or there'll be no more beer!" At that, the crowd melted before her.

She looks over the dryad. "Child, come over here to this table...come on, sit down." The girl eyes the wooden bench with trepidation. "All right, stand if you want. Come now, I'll not hurt you."

The girl had the slender, wispy build of an elf, but the dark skin was remarkable. Kvelti felt a prickle of fear creep up her back, thinking of the dark elves she had encountered once, years ago. But no, this one had a fuzz of - green? - hair growing from her head, not the white typical of the dark elves. And they wore clothes, too.

"Now what brings you to Midway, child? Child...I should have a name for you. I'm Kvelti." The girl's eyes light up with - recognition?

Kvelti is sure she has never seen such a creature in her life. Her stomach begins to fall in the familiar sensation that began countless adventures all those years ago.

Thorn chooses her words carefully. The younger trees near Midway had been able to give her some knowledge of the human language, but they were rather confused about it. She turns suddenly when the door swings again, re-admitting Gwenh and Gremlock, starting like a deer. She composes herself and turns to face Kvelti.

"I am Thorn," she says. "You are Kvelti? Then you are the one Torque said I should find here."

"Torque?" Kvelti muses. "That sounds familiar..."

"She is of the tribe that calls themselves Centaur."

"Torque! That's right...one of the younger ones to visit, those few years ago. So, ah, why did Torque send you to see me?"

Thorn briefly outlines the plight of the Ancient Trees of the Great Forest, and the sudden, swift witherings. Peeling back the cloak, she indicates the blackened mark on her skin as further evidence.

Kvelti leans back and gives a long, low whistle as she tries to figure out what this means.

Gwenh continues to sell weaponry after things settle down, but she doesn't put the magical etchings on them, only a faint fleck of emerald on the hilt. The others seem not to notice that they payed more for a weapon with a sleeping enchantment. She smiles broadly as one drunkard buys two for twenty gold each. She ran her fingers along the remaining daggers, and waited for those too to be sold.

Cael follows Kvelti and Thorn over to the table, and listens intently as Thorn tells her story. As he listens, he feels a familiar tingle run through his head. "Oh, no...." he whispers, and his face pales. ~It Is My Wish That You Will Assist This Creature In Her Quest.~ A voice with great power behind it inserts itself into Cael's mind. ~Help Her Find The Cause Of This Blight, And Deal With It Accordingly.~

~Your servant hastens to obey, Eho.~ Cael thinks, and the tingle leaves him. Cael shakes his head, trying to ease the scratchy feeling left behind in his mind.

"M'lady Thorn, I may be able to help with that burn, if you wish." Cael eyes the burn appraisingly. "I can make no promises, though. I have never seen it's like before. Nor yours for that matter."

Thorn looks at Cael and shakes her head. "I was made by the Trees, and they are a part of me. When another Tree died," she indicates her burn, "this part of me died. If all the Trees are destroyed, so am I."

Kvelti takes a deep breath. It hurt to do this on such a busy afternoon... "Wombat's closed for a few hours! Everybody, drink up and get out!"

"Hey, Grimlock!" she hollers. Getting his attention, she lowers her voice. "You wanna meet a centaur? There's one outside now."

Last few loose ends...she walks over to Gwenh's table. "Afraid we'll have to settle up now. It looks like I've other business to attend to. Hmm...you're an elf? From the Great Forest, right?" She doesn't wait for a reply...nearly all elves in this area are. "This might concern you too, then."

Gwenh smiles at Kvelti and follows her. "Yes, I'm from the forest." She looked at the dryad.

"C'mon...I want Torque to hear this, too. I have an idea what your problem may be."

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